An alphabet garden has the letters HCC presumably for Hershey Community College. Another promotes Hershey Cocoa with the smokestacks of the company in the background. The Farmer’s Market was open the day we visited. There was a beautiful parklike setting beneath a substantial tree canopy. This lent itself to an enjoyable stroll despite the warmer weather. Hershey Community Center Building
Post Alley The illuminated sign for post alley and ample lighting makes it attractive and welcoming at day and night. Within the alley itself, architectural details enhance the sense of place. Starbucks The first Starbucks store is only a few steps from the market. Opened in 1971, it bears little resemblance to the modern-day stores that people know. Other than
The glass canopy provides cover while also allowing daylight below. Ample space for vendors is also provided. Paving on the piazza further gives a strong sense of place making it welcoming for people. A literal red carpet directs people past businesses lining the piazza. The tents beneath the canopy give a contained space for each vendor. This also extends the
When we visited in 2018, the Farmers Market was arranged in the round. A roughly circular pavilion provided shelter for customers. Vendors were arranged on either side. One of our finds at the market were heirloom tomatoes. After bringing some of the seeds back to New Jersey, these would become regulars in our garden from this point forward. This visit
Highland Park, located in Middlesex County, is a community with a design forward feeling – especially when it comes to public spaces. This playful public art project fills an otherwise blank wall. The colorful figures bring a sense of excitement and energy to the downtown. No detail is too small to escape notice. These customized metal tree grates bring a
Of the several market sheds, Shed 2 is perhaps the most regal of them all. The entrance has “Eastern Market” set in stone and double arches almost making an arcade with a slender cast iron column in the center. This allows easy access inside. Low-pitched sheds to either side give ample space for vendors to set their products out. In
We were grateful for a chance to visit the East End Market in Orlando. The market is located in the Audubon Park Garden District that was named a Great American Main Street by the National Main Street Center in 2016 — and factored prominently in that success. Inside a diverse selection of food-based enterprises are on the main floor. Shops are diverse and
Corbin has a reasonably well built up downtown. At the time we visited in 2016 there were some signs of a retail revival. Anchoring this were two businesses – You&Me Coffee & Tea and the Wrigley Taproom & Eatery. The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery made a conscious effort to source ingredients from local farmers. Also, the Farmers Market helped to
The Farmers Market in Saline while having no permanent market sheds, does have a handsome sign. Also a bike rack and a doghouse send a signal to two key constituencies – dog owners and cyclists that they are welcome to participate in the market. The doghouse was built and painted by volunteers as a fundraiser to benefit the victims of
Over the Rhine has been undergoing an impressive revitalization process for many years now. The concentration of multi-story buildings to support housing, and ground floor commercial spaces support a growing mix of businesses. This outdoor market pavilion supports local farmers and community activities. The transparent roof peak is particularly ingenious allowing light to fill the space. Public art is present